Does your child rave about becoming the
next Cathy Rigby, Nadia Comaneci or Kathy Johnson? ‘What
wonderful exemplary idols’, you may marvel, surely your
daughter in on the right track. Well, think again. Know
who these gymnasts really are, and the dangerous habits
they subjected themselves to in order to reach the top.

All three of these gymnasts have admitted
to eating disorders. Cathy Rigby, a 1972 Olympic gymnast,
suffered from anorexia nervosa and bulimia for more than
a decade. In fact, because of these eating disorders,
she went into cardiac arrest not once, but twice!

To reach the top of her game, your daughter
needs to pay close attention to what she eats. You also
need to be aware that some female gymnasts are constantly
worrying about food and the results of eating food. This
develops into an unhealthy obsession: “what am I going
to eat, where am I going to eat it? Will this pile on
the pounds? How much exercise do I have to do to get rid
of the weight? Does this mean I can’t go out for a meal
anymore?”

Unhealthy obsession with food and gaining
weight can be considered an eating disorder. In recent
years, eating disorders in the rest of the population
has increased to new levels. A London hospital reports
that cases of anorexia and bulimia have gone up by 360%
in the last nine years. Studies have shown that media-related
pressure has contributed to the quest for the ideal figure,
which is seen to have pointed more towards thinness in
the last four decades.

Traditionally, women have been the target
of these body-related ideals. Now, even men are growing
more concerned with their bodies, prompted by tri-media
advertisements which showcase the ideal male form in its
fat-free state. Awareness of these supposed ideals, and
the growing number of those suffering from eating disorders,
contribute to the statistics.

Investigations into the realm eating disorders
have looked at other predicates that can bring about the
advent of these unhealthy habits. In a study of twins,
it was discovered that eating disorders can be genetic
in origin, as with an imbalance in the brain’s neurotransmitters.
Psychological factors may also play a part in the development
of eating disorders. It is mainly seen as a coping mechanism
in family related-conflicts like an inability to express
anger or other emotions, a fear of real or imagined sexual
abuse, stress, and low self-worth (with the perception
that being thinner will gain love and approval). As there
are many other causes of eating disorders, one-dimensional
assumptions should be avoided.

Why Athletes
Are More At Risk

A lot of studies have shown that gymnasts,
more than any other athletes, are more at risk to eating
disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia. This may
be due to the fact that gymnasts, especially the females,
are put under constant pressure to maintain a certain
body weight and mass for aesthetic presentation. A lithe
and graceful form in a gymnast will earn more points from
the judges. Gymnasts are under the impression that body
size influences performance results.

As gymnasts have a more sensitive awareness
about their body, they are more prone to develop an eating
disorder. In addition, the traits that make a successful
gymnast – perfectionism, compulsiveness and high expectations
of self – are prime traits particularly associated with
eating disorders.

Your apprehensions are correct in assuming
that it is the female gymnast who has the propensity to
develop this deviancy. Gymnastics is a sport where slender
body size and low body weight is seen as an aesthetic
ideal and is considered significant in terms of presentation
and performance. It is less so in males where the incidence
of eating disorders is 1 in 10.

Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia
and other Eating Disorders

These types of disorders have been diagnosed as psychiatric
types of illnesses, described by a series of conditions.
These conditions are more than just an obsession with
eating and body weight. Several studies have looked into
the subject of eating disorders in gymnasts, and they
have found that a portion of those who suffer from these
disorders also suffer from other “subclinical” forms of
anorexia or bulimia that meet these series of conditions.
Experts have proposed looking at eating disorders from
the point of view of a spectrum. For instance, those who
diet excessively have the potential to develop an eating
disorder condition.

Subclinical eating disorders were first explored in 1970.
Researchers later localized the condition as prevalent
among teenagers who exhibited delayed growth patterns
and arrested puberty as a result of “self-imposed calorie
restriction”, or too much dieting, caused by a morbid
fear of gaining weight.
Based on the 1970 studies, another researcher patterned
the subclinical eating disorder concept in relation to
athletes. The male athlete is pictured as a strongly motivated
individual highly committed to his sport such that he
would undertake massive weight loss to optimize his performance.
It would come to a point when constant dieting to assume
a very low and unrealistic weight would cease to become
a means to an end, but the end itself. The descriptive
term used is “subclinical anorexic”.

What is Anorexia Nervosa?

Experts define anorexia athletics (its scientific name)
based on the presence of absolute criteria, a series of
conditions which should be manifested, and relative criteria,
a series of conditions which may be manifested.

And the Criteria Are…

The series of conditions include weight loss, absence
of medical conditions associated with weight loss, gastrointestinal
afflictions, a great fear of weight gain, and excessive
dieting. There is also a manifestation of impeded puberty,
menstrual disorders, poor body image, gorging on food
then purging the food consumed, and obsessive exercising.
It is also worth mentioning the incident involving the
then-USSR Olympic team which got sanctioned for providing
their gymnasts with hormones that caused puberty delay,
making 17-year-old gymnasts appear extremely young.

Arizona State University Researchers have compiled a
list of absolute and relative indicative criteria. These
criteria are still under research phase and may be amended
in the future:

Absolute Criteria (must be present):
1.) Fixation over food, food consumption and body mass
2.) Poor body image
3.) Deathly fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, despite
relative slenderness
4.) The gymnast maintains a subnormal body weight (5 –
15% underweight) within the span of at least a year due
to one or several factors, namely:
a.) limiting energy intake
b.) Severely minimizing consumption of or totally avoiding
food, or several food groups
c.) Compulsive exercise beyond that required of the sport,
and in comparison with fellow athletes of the same level
5.) Absence of infirmities or other medical conditions
associated with weight loss
Relative Criteria (may be present):

1.) Gastrointestinal afflictions
2.) Menstrual disorders
3.) Purging, self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives
within a span of at least one month
4.) Bingeing and gorging on food (with a frequency of
8 times a month within the span of at least 3 months).

A lot of conjecture has gone into trying to find out
why athletes have a greater potential for eating disorders,
both clinical and subclinical. It’s been difficult to
pinpoint which factor precedes which. Does it come with
a certain type of personality? Is it a lifestyle which
naturally leads to sports participation and subsequently
an eating disorder? Or is it just participation in specific
sports a reason for the eating disorder?

A Norwegian study involving elite female athletes was
undertaken to discover the underlying factors that increased
the risk eating disorders, as well as other elements which
caused their development and aggravation (Sundgot-Borgen,
‘Risk and trigger factors for the development of eating
disorders in female elite athletes’, Medicine and Science
in Sport and Exercise, Sept. 1993, pp 414 – 419).

The first part of the study involved a preliminary qualifying
questionnaire sent out to Norwegian elite female athletes.
Elite athletes were defined to be among those who were
eligible for the national team at junior or senior levels,
or was a recruiting squad member for teams from the ages
of 12 to 35. Slightly over 500 athletes responded to these
questionnaires. They represented six groups of sports,
namely: technical, endurance, aesthetic, weight dependent,
ball games and power sports. An Eating Disorder Inventory
was used to identify the respondents at risk for eating
disorders (Manual of Eating Disorder Inventory, Odessa,
FL: Psychological Assessment Resource, Inc., 1984). 117
or 22.4 % were classified to be at risk, and 103 of these
agreed to be subjected to a quantifiable interview to
determine the existence of eating disorders. Another group
was picked at random from the segment of respondents who
were not at risk. The low risk respondent group had scored
low on the preliminary questionnaire on Eating Disorders;
they made up the control group. These control respondents
were compared with the at-risk group on the basis of age,
residence community and sport played.

Of the 103 high risk respondents who agreed to the interview,
92 of them tested positive for anorexia nervosa, bulimia
nervosa or anorexia athletics. Their opinions were asked
on the possible factors that brought out the onset and
development of their eating disorders, and 85% of the
remaining 92 were able to supply answers. All data compiled
during the interviews were analyzed in comparison with
the reasons supplied by the athletes regarding the factors
which sparked off the start and progression of eating
disorders.

It was revealed that athletes who competed in aesthetic
and endurance-related sports had thinner builds and a
considerably tougher training regimen compared to athletes
participating in other sports. It was also discovered
that these athletes rated high among the high-risk group
for eating disorders.

What impact does this have on gymnastics? Not a positive
one, apparently. Gymnastics is both an aesthetic and endurance-related
sport – both factors considered high-risk for eating disorders.
Be constantly aware of your daughter’s eating habits to
determine whether she has developed and eating disorder
or not.
Eating Disorders and the Risk Factors Involved.

A number of risk factors that launch the start of eating
disorders have been pinpointed. Early dieting among young
athletes has been found to be the result of a desire to
improve performance. A majority of these stem from recommendations
from their coach that they lose weight. This sends a message
to young and receptive athletes that losing weight will
enhance their sports performance. Worse still, it is viewed
as one of the requisites to remain in the sport. Another
discovery made by researcher was that 75% of gymnasts
who were advised by coaches to lose weight resorted to
unhealthy means of doing so.
There is a vital lesson to be learned here: if you feel
you daughter is being given the wrong messages – talk
to her coach.

Another of the findings in the study of Norwegian athletes
implied that the risk for eating disorders increased if
dieting went unsupervised. Gymnasts who suspected they
had eating disorders did not seek counsel for fear that
their disorder would be uncovered. Also, a majority of
gymnasts were largely ignorant of how to lose weight safely.
Most of the information they had came from friends, women’s
magazines and home remedies. This may cause great apprehension
on your part to discover that your daughter has heard
of the no-carb diet from classmates, and has embarked
on this diet in secret.

These types of diets cannot help the body cope with the
high energy requirements of sports. They are unable to
provide for the special nutritional requirements needed
for the growing female body. Crash diets may seem like
an appealing option for young gymnasts who may perceive
that a rapid weight loss will help them gain a place or
remain in the team. What they fail to realize is that
going on repetitive crash diets and the resulting rise
and fall in body weight will eventually lead to the development
of an eating disorder.

Starting training in a specific sport at an early age
was also identified as one of the risk factors in the
development of eating disorders. From a comparison of
the high-risk group and the low-risk group in the study,
it was discovered that the low-risk group played several
different sports before specializing in a specific sport.
The high-risk group, meanwhile, had started training in
only one sport at an early age. Generally, a person’s
body type will determine his success in a particular sport.
Starting very early in a specific sport before the body
matures sufficiently will take away the choice a person
has to determine which sport is suitable for his body
type. This creates a conflict whereby the athlete tries
to suppress the natural growth of his body which may be
inconsistent of the ideal required in his sport.
Excessive exercise is one of the factors that potentially
cause anorexia nervosa. A majority of the athletes who
did not mention any specific reason for the start of their
eating disorders also recounted an increase in exercise
and training volume, and a considerable decrease of weight
as a result of this. Athletes who exercise or train excessively
will experience calorie deprivation, not realizing that
an increase in energy output will require an increase
of calorie intake to maintain the body’s demand. Most
times, excessive exercise also results in a decrease in
appetite due to changes in the body’s endorphins.

This calorie deprivation can create a physiological or
emotional atmosphere conducive to the development of eating
disorders. As mentioned previously, excessive dieting
can carry manifestations of eating disorders, like obsessions
with food and body weight. One trigger is the loss of
a coach whom the athlete perceives to be an sports mentor
vital to his or her athletic career, bringing on a depression-like
state in the athlete.

Illness or injury is also a trigger, as it left some
gymnasts unable to continue with their training in the
same or at a higher level. In conclusion, loss of a coach,
injury and illness are seen as trigger factors that bring
about the start of an eating disorder.